Gas, tank, gas storage – illustrative photo
Prague – Last year's gas consumption in the Czech Republic was the lowest in the last eight years. In total, the Czechs consumed 7.544 billion cubic meters of it, which was a fifth less year-on-year. When converted to a long-term temperature norm, it was the lowest since at least 2001. ČTK reported on this today from the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ). Last year, according to the authority, electricity consumption also fell, by 3.9 percent year-on-year.
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Gas consumption in the country decreased year-on-year in all months of last year, most significantly in May by 33.3 percent. “Overall, consumption was the lowest in the last eight years. If we convert it to a temperature average, then it was even the lowest ever since 2001, when ERO began to keep statistics on the operation of the gas system,” said ERO Council Chairman Stanislav Trávníček.
Large customers traditionally had the largest share of last year's consumption with 47.2 percent, followed by households with 25.4 percent and small customers with 14.3 percent. Medium-sized entrepreneurs then had a share of over 9.3 percent of consumption. According to the office, the biggest savings compared to last year were recorded by entrepreneurs with medium consumption, who reduced consumption by 22.2 percent. Households reduced their consumption by a fifth.
Gas for the production of electricity accounted for 8.1 percent of the total consumption last year, which is the lowest in four years. According to ERO, this reflects last year's extremely high gas prices.
The annual balance of the gas system last year was significantly affected by last year's geopolitical situation caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine. Compared to 2021, gas imports fell by 40.7 percent to 27.08 billion cubic meters.
ERÚ also drew attention to the significantly higher filling of domestic gas storage tanks. “While in December 2021 stocks reached 49.1 percent of the total storage capacity, at the end of 2022 they almost doubled to 85.2 percent. The record was at the beginning of winter, when compared to the past, the storage tanks were practically 100 percent full, ” pointed out Trávníček.
The year-on-year increase in stocks continues this year as well. On Wednesday, reservoirs were 62.5 percent full, compared to around 21.5 percent last year. At the end of last year's winter season, occupancy was around 13 percent.
Czechs also limited electricity consumption last year. According to ERO, net consumption, which is adjusted for own consumption for electricity production, losses and electricity consumption for pumping, fell by 3.9 percent to 60.4 terawatt hours. There was also a similar decline in gross consumption. Households restricted consumption the most.
